What a crazy year 2009 was for concerts. The great shows were plentiful, but I’m running low on great bands that I haven’t already seen. Still, it was an impressive year for concerts. I saw a lot of great ones, but managed to keep the list to a slim 40 of the best. So here are the photos and quick reviews of each of the 40 best shows I saw all year. Let me know who rocked your face off in the comments.

#40 :: Neon Indian @ Monolith | [Original Post]

It’s hard to believe that this was only Neon Indian’s third show ever. They were tighter than most bands I saw this year, but that could have had something to do with how tight their album is anyway. Great set in an insanely packed indoor part of the Monolith music festival hosted by WOXY.

#39 :: Blitzen Trapper @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

I would say this was easily a better show than the first time I saw Blitzen Trapper, but it probably tied. Of course, the first time I saw them I was half drunk, eating breakfast burritos in Austin and this time I was incredibly tired and way too hot in Chicago. Still, it was an incredible set by one of my favorite young bands.

#38 :: The National @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

If I was a big National fan, this probably would be in the top 15 or even top 10. Unfortunately they’ve never really clicked for me and it’s relegated to number 38. It was a fantastic show, though, that was the best of the handful of times I’ve seen them.

#37 :: Final Fantasy @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

No, seeing Owen outdoors in the hot hot sun isn’t the most ideal setting — but really, there’s never a bad place to see Final Fantasy. This really just whet my appetite for the next time I’ll be able to sit down in a theater and enjoy his music to the fullest.

#36 :: Peelander-Z @ Hot Freaks/The Mohawk | [Original Post]

Their set lost a little bit of the surprise that I got seeing them last year, but the fact is that they still put on one of the liveliest, wildest, most memorable shows I saw all year.

#35 :: Ponytail @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

It was like watching large amounts of static electricity play instruments on stage. So yeah, it was pretty awesome.

#34 :: Mission of Burma @ Boomslang | [Original Post]

Never thought in a million years that I’d get to see Mission of Burma — let alone at a cheap show in my hometown. To top it all off, the show was great and the audience was exactly as pumped as this classic band deserved.

#33 :: These United States @ Buster’s | [Original Post]

What a great homecoming for TUS right after their new album Everything Touches Everything came out. The new material was somehow even better live and the old stuff sounded as great as ever. To top it off, it was the opening show for Buster’s, so it was a proud night to be a music lover in Lexington.

#32 :: Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Monolith | [Original Post]

I finally got to see the majority of a Yeah Yeah Yeahs set. I was so miserable, though, that the fact it ranks as high as it does is a miracle. It was pouring rain, practically freezing and just all-around miserable. Luckily the Yeah Yeah Yeahs put on a hell of a show, so it didn’t bother me too much.

#31 :: Circulatory System @ Al’s Bar | [Original Post]

The only thing that softened the impact of this show was that I saw all the principle players at the best show I saw last year: the Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour. Still, it was a magical show that disappointed me slightly with the turnout.

Read the rest of the list after the break.

#30 :: Japandroids @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

I wouldn’t advise waiting to listen to Japandroids’ record until after you’ve seen them live, but it certainly made for an interesting show. I had no expectations going in and was completely bowled over. Needless to say, I went straight home and checked out the record. That’s what I want from every show: to be galvanized into action!

#29 :: Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

This show just felt so incredibly good. I’d been following CEG for a while, loving their debut album and really hoping they could put on a memorable show. Turns out they put on quite a memorable show. In fact, they put on one of the best shows that I’ve ever seen from any band that’s so young. I get the feeling this isn’t the last time they’ll make my best shows list.

#28 :: Still Flyin’ @ Al’s Bar | [Original Post]

I went into this only knowing one song, but came out feeling like I’d spent the entire time with my closest friends, singing our favorite songs.

#27 :: The Thermals @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

I saw the Thermals four times this year, but their Pitchfork show was the best (and the only one I saw the entirety of). They had a giant audience to whip into a frenzy with new and old jams, and they treated us to a load of 90s covers ranging from Green Day to Nirvana.

#26 :: Matt Duncan @ Al’s Bar | [Original Post]

If it’s surprising that the unknown Lexingtonian Matt Duncan ranked this highly, you obviously weren’t at this show. He had an incredibly tight backing band and a full set of fantastic songs that were all brand new to me. He’s got an EP out in 2010, so hopefully you’ll get to understand a little more why I loved his show so much.

#25 :: Bishop Allen @ Club DeVille/Hot Freaks SXSW | [Original Post]

I finally broke a long drought of missing Bishop Allen shows by booking them to play our Hot Freaks! party this year. It was incredibly satisfying and pretty long overdue. Unfortunately I had to miss them when they played Kentucky last month, so it looks like I’m going to have a second drought to break next year.

#24 :: Snoop Dogg @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

I mean really, what is there not to like about a Snoop Dogg show? Well, aside from him being incredibly late, there’s nothing to complain about. It’s the most laid back experience you’ll ever have, filled with songs that are nothing short of classic. Also there was a semi-topless girl with weed pasties above Snoop’s shoulder the whole time, which should tell you something about the general level of enjoyment going on.

#23 :: Department of Eagles @ Presbyterian Church | [Original Post]

If you ever get the chance to see Daniel Rossen play three shows in four days, duh… take it. This was one of the first shows I caught at SXSW and remained one of the best I saw all year. It was a quiet, intimate show in a an Austin church that set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the shows I’d see that week.

#22 :: Okkervil River @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

One of the year’s biggest letdowns was that I didn’t get to see all of Okkervil River’s set at Bonnaroo. I hadn’t seen them since 2007; in the mean time they’ve released two fantastic record that I was dying to hear live. Sadly I only got to see five or six songs at Bonnaroo, but even that was enough to land them at number 22.

#21 :: Janelle Monae @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

Hands down the biggest surprise of 2009 was Janelle Monae. I decided to check out her show based entirely on the fact that I knew Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes was a fan. Holy hell did I ever make the right decision. She burst out like a midget meld of Urkel and James Brown and completely rocked my mind for the remainder of my time with her. Her record is nice, but really does not do her live show justice.

#20 :: Man Man @ Buster’s Halloween Fall Ball | [Original Post]

Man Man on Halloween sounds like the best possible collision of freaky… and it was. We got new songs, classic songs and cover of famous spooky ditties (the Addams Family and Halloween theme songs). And really, the Dia De Los Muertos facepaint was some fantastic icing on the cake.

#19 :: Al Green @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

What a classic performer. I never dreamed I’d see him live and I never dreamed it would be exactly as great as you might hope. In fact, I think the only person who might have enjoyed it more than me is Al Green himself.

#18 :: Bill Callahan @ Cosmic Charlie’s | [Original Post]

I almost didn’t go to this one. I had a kidney biopsy scheduled the next morning, but I knew I’d be kicking myself for the rest of my life if I missed Bill Callahan playing just a block from my house. Even though it was only him and a drummer, it was an incredible show. It just proves that if you write some of the best songs out there and have a commanding presence, your live show can’t help but be a smash hit.

#17 :: Of Montreal @ Monolith / Bonnaroo | [Original Posts]

This was the first year I’ve ever seen Of Montreal have what might be considered an “off” night. Kevin was sick in Covington and as such, the show suffered just a bit. Luckily the next two shows I caught were back to being absolutely insane. Bonnaroo was a quick spike to my senses, while Monolith was a bit more of a premeditated murder of the same. Good to know they haven’t lost anything in the live department as they’ve progressed.

#16 :: St. Vincent @ the Dame / Prespeterian Church | [Original Posts]

My first tip that this was going to be a giant year for St Vincent was that she put on a fantastic set at the First Prespeterian Church at SXSW. Her Bonnaroo show was nice, but the real winner of the three was her show at the Dame in early June. She was as charming as I’ve ever seen and now had two albums worth of fantastic songs from which to draw upon in her set.

#15 :: The Black Keys @ Forecastle | [Original Post]

There are only three two-person bands I’ve seen rock with the strength of at least double their numbers: The White Stripes; Death From Above 1979; and Akron, Ohio’s favorite sons, the Black Keys. This was the first time I’d gotten to see them after Attack & Release came out and proved that they’re one of the best live bands going. Now if they’d just tour behind the release of that Blakroc album…

#14 :: Echo and the Bunnymen @ Stubb’s SXSW | [Original Post]

Mind. Blown. It’s tough to explain why this show was so fantastic — primarily because Ian McCulloch never really moved. He just stood still, smoked and sang with an otherworldly voice. But you can’t argue with the results: this was an incredible show.

#13 :: Beach House @ Cedar St Courtyard SXSW | [Original Post]

My anticipation for Grizzly Bear was at an incredible high at this show, but Beach House’s performance was so incredible that I briefly forgot all about the quartet. My only wish during the show was that I was more familiar with their discography so that I could’ve enjoyed it even more.

#12 :: Dirty Projectors @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

My biggest concert regret of 2009? Staying through all of the Dirty Projector’s set at Bonnaroo, but leaving just before David Byrne came out to join them to sing “Knotty Pine.” If I’d caught it, this probably would have jumped well into the top ten. But since I missed it, it’s merely one of the greatest shows I saw all year. Way to go, Matt.

#11 :: Jim James @ 21c KFTC Benefit | [Original Post]

I managed to beg my way into a quite pricey, very intimate fundraiser for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth wherein Jim James was playing alongside Daniel Martin Moore. It wasn’t quite the same as seeing My Morning Jacket (or Monsters of Folk, who I missed this year), but it was a close substitute in a completely different way. Just his voice and guitar were enough to propel me far beyond the reaches of any regular concert.

#10 :: Phoenix @ Monolith | [Original Post]

What a band. They put out one of the best albums of the year and were nice enough to have a live show to back it all up. I couldn’t get into their performance at Bonnaroo because it was so packed (a rarity at a festival), but got to have it made up to me by watching their beautiful Monolith performance up close for the majority of it.

#9 :: Nine Inch Nails @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

As glad as I am that Nine Inch Nails got to do a proper final US tour, complete with special guests… I was kind of looking forward to having seen their last US show ever, which is what Trent announced their Bonnaroo show would be. Even though that didn’t pan out, this was still an incredible show. I got to hear “I’m Afraid of Americans,” their cover of “Metal” and a couple dozen of their greatest songs. I’m sad I only got to see Nine Inch Nails three times in their touring life, but not nearly as sad as I am grateful.

#8 :: Bruce Springsteen @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

I listened to most of Bruce’s set, but unfortunately didn’t get to watch it all. After we got shuttled out of the photo pit, I took the next hour to grab some coffee, a bit to eat and catch a seat to just listen to some of the best American music ever made. Next time I’ll plan accordingly so I can experience Bruce with both senses. He’s one of the few classic musicians I’ve ever seen who honest-to-God deserve the title of classic.

#7 :: Os Mutantes @ Boomslang | [Original Post]

I was giantly surprised that Os Mutantes came to play Lexington. What a fantastic show this was. I loved photographing the show, but spent at least half of the set with my camera in the bag, singing along with the crowd.

#6 :: No Deachunter [No Age / Dan Deacon / Deerhunter] @ Southgate House | [Original Post]

How surprised am I to find that the sixth best show I saw all year was the combination of three bands I don’t particularly care for. Deerhunter is pretty nice, No Age is OK and Dan Deacon is usually fun… but when you slap them all together, they turn into a musical Voltron and completely slay me. These guys have to do this again as soon as possible.

#5 :: M Ward @ Monolith / First Presbyterian Church SXSW | [Original Post]

I kept saying that I didn’t get to cross that many people off my “must see” list in 2009, but then I remember that the year started off with a big one off my list. I caught M Ward on two fantastic occasions: SXSW in March and Monolith in September. SXSW was a fantastic solo guitar/piano show that left me questioning why I haven’t been following him around on tour, while the Monolith show was a full band performance that raised the bar for folk music. M Ward is a god among men.

#4 :: David Byrne @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

The saddest concert problem in 2009 was that David Byrne and the Beastie Boys played at almost the exact same time. I divided my time up as best I could, but still missed out on a great deal of my favorite songs from both bands. And when I say “favorite songs,” I literally mean some of my favorite songs in the world. But for ever one I missed, I caught two. As much as I wish the Talking Heads could get their stuff together and reform, David Byrne was an incredible concert that was lacking in no discernible way. And though he could have come out and put on a half-assed performance, he went to great lengths to ensure it was a memorable show.

#3 :: Grizzly Bear @ Filter Party/First Presbyterian | [Original Posts]

Going into 2009, I quickly realized that I was going to be seeing Grizzly Bear a great number of times. Four, in fact. The two at SXSW were among the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life. Their show at an Austin church was a touching reminder of why they’re easily one of the best bands of our generation, while the performance at the Cedar St Courtyard was a beautiful treat that featured a guest appearance by Victoria Legrand of Beach House. So yeah, 2009 was a very good year.

#2 :: The Flaming Lips @ Pitchfork | [Original Post]

In a perfect world, we would have heard a little less of the overplayed hits in this “Write the Night” fan-chosen setlist. But it was pretty much unavoidable to a certain point, and do you really want to cut any of them out? They’re classic for a reason. And really, we got to hear “Bad Days” and “Mountain Side” and that should be enough for anybody.

#1 :: the Beastie Boys @ Bonnaroo | [Original Post]

This was the biggie. For years I’ve put the Beastie Boys in the top three of my choices to play Bonnaroo, but never really guessed that it might happen. Leading off with a great set by Mixmaster Mike, the show was a great reminder of why they’re such an iconic band. The set included rarities, new songs and some of their smaller hits that really made the night incredible. Honestly, they probably could have landed in the top 10 just by playing “Super Disco Breakin,” but they really went above and beyond to put on a great show. And of course, best wishes to MCA as he recovers from cancer. The fact that he was able to put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen while suffering from undiagnosed cancer is just a testimonial to the quality of this group.

YANP’s Favorite Concerts of 2006
YANP’s Favorite Concerts of 2007
YANP’s Favorite Concerts of 2008